Hoji loses his Wang

I wasn't going to let Enra win, that much was clear. The Nobitsura Kage was the only thing that could kill us shadow spirits for good, the mere touch was all it took... And I picked it up.

I had to get it to Wang somehow, Enra knew he had to strip it from the only one that could use it. But he wasn't planning on me grabbing it, the look on his face alone was worth it.

"I hope that mortal can figure out how to leave the shadow realm, might have screwed Wang over on that part." I Thought.

Wait a second... apply the brakes, hang on how could I think if i'm dead?

I slowly open my eyes, and light blinds me for a moment. allowing my eyes to adjust I can see what appears to be a sun.

I really hope i'm not still dying and this is that light the mortal speak of, that would be a major letdown...

No, I'm not in immense pain so I must be fine. I attempt to lift myself up into a sitting position, I seem to be alive or as alive as a immortal spirit can be.

I take a look around to figure out what happened, and I see a forest a sign that this cannot be the shadow realm.

"After two droughts, trees can't survive in the Shadow Realm so that means i'm in the mortal world. But I should be just dead... unless this is hell for those born in hell. Well I guess I should figure out where I am." I think. I walk over to this forest to get a closer look. I stick my hand out to touch the tree, only to see my hand go through it.

"Well, that means I am definitely in the mortal world.

I hover a bit off the ground, and begin to ascend above the treeline to get a better look at my surroundings, but stop suddenly when I collide with what seems like an invisible wall. "What the hell?" I remark as I try to ascend higher only to again hit this "wall"

I fall back to the ground to think about this. I have to be bound to something or someone to limit my movement.

But my mask... "Where the hell is my MASK!" I yell when I realize that my mask was not on my face or anywhere near me.

I was panicking, if my mask was indeed what I was bound to I'd have to find it.

Last thing I need is something carrying my mask off and dragging me along for the ride.  As I start on this scavenger hunt for my mask I start hearing someone talking.

"Oh, Angel i'm sorry this is taking so long. But I need to get to Zecora's to pick up some medicine for the rest of the animals." a soft voice says.

I head towards this voice to find the owner, and what I find was something I was not prepared for.

A yellow pony with a pink mane, and rabbit riding on it's back.

"That thing couldn't have spoken!" I thought.

I must have been going insane because the pony just kept on talking.

I decided to follow the pony, she led me to a hut, when she arrived she knocked her hoof against the door and after a moment of waiting a zebra opened the door.

I couldn't hear them but they were having a conversation, I moved closer to hear. I didn't want to test if they could see me or not, so I stayed right outside this hut

"Thank you again Zecora for making this medicine."  the pony said.

"Before as I have said, anything for a friend." the Zebra replied.

The pony began to turn but was stopped by the Zebra.

"I have but one favor to ask, that you take this mask" the Zebra had turned for a second a returned with a mask in its mouth.

That mask just so happened to be mine, how the Zebra got it, is a mystery.

"Well, uh, thats a nice mask you have. But I don't think I should take it." Fluttershy nervously said.

The Zebra set the mask down on a nearby table to speak. "I found this mask, on my last task. It called to me with a voice that had me enthralled. A cursed mask I thought at first, But there is more to this mask's lore. Take this mask to our smart friend for a closer look at this loose end."

The pony nodded and the rabbit took the mask from the Zebra they said their goodbyes and the pony started its way back the path it came, and I followed.

"I think i'll just take the easy ride like the rabbit" I think as I fly into my mask. First step is figuring out why I am even here.

If the Nobitsura Kage did kill me then I would cease to exist, but obviously I didn't. so where does an immortal shadow spirit go when they die? Hell would be my first guess and unless this is hell I have no clue.

That zebra said something about handing this mask to something smart, maybe they could help me out. Then again I don't think they would be too thrilled to see what could be a ghost.

So time to do some serious thinking here. If I died, like I believe I have, then I must have traveled on to what would be my other side.

If that happened, I can only imagine that this place is a complete opposite of the Shadow World. How boring this place must be.

The pony was coming up to a house of some sort.

The rabbit on this pony's back was holding my mask as if he was staring right at me. "Time to have a little fun." I think to myself.

I pop into view wearing my mask. "Boo." I whisper to the rabbit. The rabbit freaked out falling off the pony.

As the pony turned around I quickly faded out of view, sinking back into my mask.

"Angel! are you okay?" the pony asked the rabbit named Angel.  He replied with a lot of squeaking.

"What do you mean you saw a ghost? from the mask?" the pony looked at my mask for a second, then picked up the rabbit putting it on its back. It did quicken its pace to make it to the house.

The pony set me down on some kind of couch, and quickly left the room.

I faded back into view, it would look like i'm laying on the couch, but my ass would just sink right through if I didn't levitate.

the rabbit hopped into the room with a hammer, must be looking for some revenge.

"Hey there pal, how are you doing?" I casually asked the rabbit, and it responded by dropping the hammer and scurrying out of the room.

Must be anti-social.

"h-h-hello?" a voice called into the room, most likely the rabbit went to fetch the pony. the pony came into the room at a snail's pace with the rabbit until she saw me and froze in fear.

"Hi." I greeted. She screamed. And here I was hoping I could have a normal conversation... well as normal as I can get.

I jumped to my feet and said "Whoa! calm down. no reason to start screaming, I won't hurt you. In fact I can't ever hurt you." I demonstrated this as I put my hand through the couch.

"W-w-w-w-what are you!?" the pony was freaking out.

"I am a Shadow Spirit, a ghost to you. And no, I can't steal your soul or something like that. I'm as gentle as that rabbit there." The last bit wasn't exactly true, but no point in telling her that.

she seemed to soften up just a bit, but she looked like she was still on edge.

The rabbit's nose twitched and it left the room.

"look what's your name?" I asked the pony, Fluttershy was the reply.

We stared at one another for quite some time, I didn't want to say anything more and risk undoing any thing I have done.

This goes on for ten minutes until the rabbit comes in freaking out squeaking loudly about something. Fluttershy looked at the rabbit and her own face lit up into even more fear then earlier as she rushed off.

I followed the two as they rushed to see what the commotion was... the house is on fire.

Everything on the other side of the house was on fire and animals were everywhere freaking out. Fluttershy was trying to get all the animals outside, dashing from one place to another avoiding many of the fires and saving as many of the animals she can.

"Fire... I got a history with fire." I muse to myself as I watch this go on, not much I can do.

Fluttershy was just getting some birds out of a cage when a piece of the wooden roof fell on her.

she was trapped under it, the rabbit took notice and scurried over to help her. But I knew that the rabbit wouldn't be able to help her.

I floated over to the pony, a giant log of what used to be the ceiling was pinning her down. Her wings and the around them were singed. The log was right on top of her wings.

I sighed then spoke, "look, Fluttershy was it? I can help you out of this. Hell I can help you rescue what animals in here that are left." she looked at me with pleading eyes "How!?" she screamed.

"listen now you don't have much time left, now I can't do anything on my own and you really need my help." I told her "all you need to do is accept me."

Fluttershy's life was fading out... this pony was frail.

"Hey. Don't go fading out on me now! Say you accept. Come on, A like asshole C like champion..." I got close to her to hear her answer.

"I accept." she squeaked out. well not my first choice of a host, but with some careful training she could be.

I press my hand to her hand and begin the process of merging our spirits. Once its done I fade back into my mask and it lands on her head.

Fluttershy gasped at the new life filling her lungs, she felt more alive then when she did before all this. She felt strength she never knew she had and pushed herself up, pushing the log off in the process. She rushed to the birds she was helping and let them out of their cages.

She proceeded to help every other animal out.

By the time she had led out some squirrels when she looked up to see her best friend and some weather ponies bringing over some rain clouds. She sighed a sigh of relief, as they put out the fire. Rainbow Dash came rushing down to Fluttershy to check on her.

"Fluttershy! Are you okay!?" Rainbow Dash was screaming with concern.

"Yes Rainbow Dash, i'm fine." I told her, "in fact I feel more then fine."

Rainbow Dash gasped as she looked Fluttershy over, Fluttershy's poor wings were close to ash.

"Fluttershy! Your wings!" Rainbow Dash proceeded by taking Fluttershy into an embrace and began to fly her towards the Ponyville hospital.

"We have got to get you to a hospital Fluttershy!"

Fluttershy didn't feel any pain from her wings, in fact she didn't feel her winds at all. she started to panic. She looked behind her to see the damage done to her wings only to see a huge black mark, she feinted.

I sighed as I watch the rest unfold, she was taken to a hospital and rushed to an operating room.

"Guess I should take myself a nap too" I said to myself.